Packaging apparatus for strand

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for depositing strand into a rotating drum package varies the speed of rotation of the drum by means of a speed reducer driven in reverse through a sprocket having its axis of rotation offset from its center.

United States Patent [1 1 Herrendeen et al.

[ PACKAGING APPARATUS FOR STRAND [75] Inventors: Jerry L. l-lerrendeen; Phillip E.

Liebing, both of Muskegon, Mich.

[73] Assignee: Anaconda Wire and Cable Company,

New York, N.Y.

[22] Filed: Mar. 31, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 240,045

[52] US. Cl. 242/83 [51] Int. Cl. B216 47/08 [58] Field of Search 242/83, 81;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,981,494 4/1961 Kovaleski 242/83 Aug. 28, 1973 2,857,116 10/1958 Krafft 242/83 3,042,336 7/1962 Krafft 2.868.474 1/1959 Lewis 242/83 Primary ExaminerGeorge F. Mautz Assistant Examiner-Edward J. McCarthy Attorney-Victor F. Volk [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for depositing strand into a rotating drum package varies the speed of rotation of the drum by means of a speed reducer driven in reverse through a sprocket having its axis of rotation offset from its center.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 28, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 2

Patented Aug. 28, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3

PACKAGING APPARATUS FOR STRAND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In US. Pat. No. 2,857,116 dated Oct. 2 l, 1958, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, there is described a method of packaging wire into a cylindrical container in which the material is coiled about a cylindrical core positioned in the container so as to form an annular space between the core and the walls of the container. To deposit the wire in flat spiral coils the drum was rotated at alternately increasing and decreasing speeds while wire was paid into it at a fixed speed. A Reeves variable pulley drive is recommended in the patent for varying the drum rotation speed and such drives have been economically used in commercial production for gang driving pluralities of drums. Known apparatus has been too costly, however, for application on individual take ups, largely because of the cost of the variable pulley drive.

SUMMARY The present apparatus is directed to an apparatus for depositing spiral layers into drum packages that is so economical it can be profitably used on individual wire take-ups and can be built by inexpensively modifying drum take-up apparatus that is now operating without the variable speed feature. Our apparatus for packaging strand into theannular space defined by an inner vertical core and an outer cylindrical wall of a container comprises a rotary support means for the container, capstan means paying the strand from a station above the container into the annular space, and means rotating the support means. The means for rotating comprises a speed reducer, a circular driven sprocket turning the slow shaft of the reducer, a'first circular driving sprocket, and a circular second driving sprocket being turned by the fast shaft of the reducer. Chain means connects the first dn'ving sprocket and the driven sprocket, either of which is mounted on an axis offset from its center such, preferably, that the shortest chord through the axis will divide the sprocket rim into small and large arc lengths having a ratio at least ap proximately equal to the ratio of the diameters of the container core and its outer wall. Our apparatus also comprises power means uniformly turning'the capstan means and the driving sprocket at speeds in a fixed ratio.

A preferred embodiment of our apparatus comprises a rotatable platform for the container, and a circular capstan with at least one pinch roll engaging the strand against its surface is mounted above the container on a horizontal shaft. The axis of the pinch roll is at the same elevation as the axis of the shaft, which has a first and second sprocket mounted upon it. A motor driving a first speed reducer is mounted on our apparatus and a third sprocket is mounted on the slow shaft of the speed reducer, with a chain connecting the third and first sprockets, so that the motor will turn the shaft. Second and third speed reducers are also mounted on our apparatus, which further comprises a fourth sprocket on the fast shaft of the second speed reducer, a fifth sprocket on the slow shaft of the second speed reducer, a sixth sprocket on the slow shaft of the third speed reducer, a seventh sprocket on the fast shaft of the third speed reducer, and an eighth sprocket mounted on a right-drive positioned below the platform. The sixth sprocket is mounted on an axis offset from its center while all the other sprockets are mounted on central axes. Individual chains connect the second and fourth sprockets, the fifth and sixth sprockets, and the seventh and eighth sprockets and means are provided, driven by the right-drive, turning the platform.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a side view of an apparatus of our in vention.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a front view of the assembly 20 of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the assembly of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a side view of an alternative embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In our apparatus, indicated generally by the numeral 10, strand in the form of insulated wire 11 pays from processing equipment, not shown, over a guide sheave 12 onto a capstan 13 both supported on a vertical frame 15. The strand 1] is urged against the capstan 13 by pinch rolls 14, 16 the axis of the lower of which 16 has the same elevation as the axis of the capstan 13 so the wire can fall freely from a tangent point 17 at a horizontal extremity of the capstan into a drum 18 with an outer cylindrical wall 19 and inner vertical core 21. The wire 11 deposits into an annular space 22 between the core 21 and wall 19 in an accumulation of alternately expanding and diminishing flat spirals. The drum 18 is supported on a rectangular platform 23 having a side 24 shorter than the drum diameter to accommodate forks of a lift truck on removing the full drum. The platform 23 is mounted to turn on the vertical axis of a shaft 26 in a bearing 27. A pulley 28 turns the shaft 26 urged by a belt 29 connecting to a driving pulley 31 on a shaft 32 of a right-drive 33. Right-drives are commercially available as such from a plurality of suppliers and for the present embodiment of our invention we have selected a l to 1 ratio right-drive manufactured by the Boston Gear Works, of Quincy, Mass., designated R 1031. While it is preferable, because of its convenience, to employ a preassembled unit for the rightdrive 33 it will be understood that the term right-drive, as used in this application may also include any assembly of gearing members comprising an input shaft, and an output shaft at right angles to the input shaft, for transmitting rotary power delivered at the output shaft. Our apparatus 10 is driven by a motor reducer unit 34 with a shaft 36 and sprocket 37 keyed thereto. Through a link chain 38 the sprocket 37 drives a sprocket 39 keyed to a shaft 41 of the capstan 13 thereby turning the capstan. The shaft 41 also mounts a sprocket 42 from which a chain 43 drives a sprocket 44 keyed to a fast shaft 46 of a speed reducer 47 of an assembly 20, mounted on a support 25 on the frame 15. (See FIGS. 3 and 4). Speed reducers are commercially available, as such, from a plurality of sources and, as the term speed reducer is used in this application, are all characterized in having two externally exposed shafts one of which, herein called the fast shaft, has a high speed ratio, at least 10 to l and usually over 20 to l, to the other, herein called the slow shaft. Packaged speed reducers may use a worm drive in which case the fast shaft must be the one that is driven. The speed reducer 47, a Boston Gear Works 25 to l Reductor designated TW 1 13 B does include such a worm drive. Use of a packaged speed reducer is, however, a matter of economy and convenience, and other made-up gear train assemblies characterized by driving and driven shafts of a speed ratio in excess of to 1 are included in the expression speed reducer as herein employed. A slow shaft 48 of the speed reducer 47 mounts a conventional sprocket 49 which, by means of a link chain 51 and chain tightener sprocket 52 drives a sprocket 53 on a slow shaft 54 of a speed reducer 56. For the speed reducer 56 we have employed a Boston Gear Works Reductor designated 221 DPH with a speed ratio of 23.95 to 1. Since the slow shaft 54 of the speed reducer 56 is being driven, a speed reducer that does not utilize a worm drive is required. Such speed reducers, e.g., spur gear reducers, are well known.

The sprocket 53 has a circular toothed rim 57, as is conventional, but its axis 58 is offset from its center 59 so that the shaft 54 is not central to the sprocket. A chord 61 through the axis 58 and normal to a diameter through the axis 58 will be the shortest? chord through the axis. This chord 61 divides the rim into arc lengths 62, 63 having the same ratio as the ratio of the diameter of the core 21 to the diameter of the wall 19, with 32 teeth of the sprocket on one side of the chord 61 and 40 teeth on the other. A conventional sprocket 64 on a fast shaft 66 of the speed reducer 56 drives the right drive 33 through a conventional sprocket 67 and shaft 68. The complex rotational pattern required to form the strand 1 1 into spiral layers is achieved by our apparatus by this very economical though novel means of a sprocket offset from its center and two speed reducers. Indeed the sprocket 53 can be purchased as standard and is provided with an off-set axis by the addition of a hub 69 secured to the otherwise standard sprocket in an offset position by bolts 71. While we have preferred to mount an off-set sprocket on the shaft 54 and a conventional sprocket on the shaft 48, a conventional sprocket 53a might be mounted on the shaft 54 and a sprocket 490 with an offset axis on the driving shaft 48 to achieve the desired spiral windings, as shown in FIG. 5.

In the operation of our apparatus the wire 11 pays into the drum 18 at constant speed but the rotation of the drum varies to form the series of spirals described in the referenced U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,l l6. Spiralling is accomplished, as has been described, by increasing and decreasing the speed of the slow shaft 54 of the speed reducer 56 in alternate cycles during each of which the fast shaft 66 completes a plurality of revolutions, corresponding to a plurality of revolutions of the drum 18.

We have invented a new and useful apparatus of which the foregoing description has been exemplary rather than definitive and for which we desire an award of Letters Patent as defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for packaging strand into the annular space defined by an inner vertical core and an outer cylindrical wall of a container comprising:

A. rotatable support means for said container,

B. capstan means paying said strand from a station above said container into said space,

C. means rotating said support means, comprising a speed reducer having a fast and a slow shaft, 21 circular driven sprocket turning said slow shaft, a first circular driving sprocket, a second circular driving sprocket being turned by said fast shaft, chain means connecting said first driving sprocket and said driven sprocket, one of the two sprockets consisting of said driven sprocket and said first driving sprocket being mounted on an axis offset from its center, and

D. power means uniformly turning said capstan means and said first driving sprocket at speeds in a fixed ratio.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said driving first sprocket is mounted on an offset axis.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said driven sprocket is mounted on an offset axis.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shortest chord through said offset axis will divide the rim of said sprocket having said offset axis into small and large arc lengths having a ratio at least approximately equal to the ratio of the diameters of said core and said outer cylindrical wall.

5. An apparatus for packaging strand into the annular space defined by an inner vertical core and an outer cylindrical wall of a container comprising:

A. a rotatable platform for said container,

B. a circular capstan mounted above said container,

on a horizontal shaft,

C. at least one pinch roll engaging said strand against said capstan, the axis of said pinch roll being at the same elevation as the axis of said shaft,

D. first and second sprockets mounted on said shaft,

E. a motor mounted on said apparatus,

F. a first speed reducer driven by said motor,

G. a third sprocket mounted on the slow shaft of said speed reducer,

H. a chain connecting together said third and said first sprockets whereby said motor turns said shaft,

. second and third speed reducers, each having a fast and a slow;shaft,

J a fourth sprocket mounted on the fast shaft of said second speed reducer, a fifth sprocket mounted on the slow shaft of said second speed reducer, a sixth sprocket mounted on the slow shaft of said third speed reducer, and a seventh sprocket mounted on the fast shaft of said third speed reducer, said sixth sprocket being mounted on an axis offset from its center and the remaining of said sprockets being mounted on central axes,

K. a right-drive comprising an eighth sprocket mounted below said platform,

L. individual chains connecting said second and fourth sprockets, said fifth and sixth sprockets and said seventh and eighth sprockets, and

M. means driven by said right-drive turning said platform. 

1. An apparatus for packaging strand into the annular space defined by an inner vertical core and an outer cylindrical wall of a container comprising: A. rotatable support means for said container, B. capstan means paying said strand from a station above said container into said space, C. means rotating said support means, comprising a speed reducer having a fast and a slow shaft, a circular driven sprocket turning said slow shaft, a first circular driving sprocket, a second circular driving sprocket being turned by said fast shaft, chain means connecting said first driving sprocket and said driven sprocket, one of the two sprockets consisting of said driven sprocket and said first driving sprocket being mounted on an axis offset from its center, and D. power means uniformly turning said capstan means and said first driving sprocket at speeds in a fixed ratio.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said driving first sprocket is mounted on an offset axis.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said driven sprocket is mounted on an offset axis.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shortest chord through said offset axis will divide the rim of said sprocket having said offset axis into small and large arc lengths having a ratio at least approximately equal to the ratio of the diameters of said core and said outer cylindrical wall.
 5. An apparatus for packaging strand into the annular space defined By an inner vertical core and an outer cylindrical wall of a container comprising: A. a rotatable platform for said container, B. a circular capstan mounted above said container, on a horizontal shaft, C. at least one pinch roll engaging said strand against said capstan, the axis of said pinch roll being at the same elevation as the axis of said shaft, D. first and second sprockets mounted on said shaft, E. a motor mounted on said apparatus, F. a first speed reducer driven by said motor, G. a third sprocket mounted on the slow shaft of said speed reducer, H. a chain connecting together said third and said first sprockets whereby said motor turns said shaft, I. second and third speed reducers, each having a fast and a slow shaft, J. a fourth sprocket mounted on the fast shaft of said second speed reducer, a fifth sprocket mounted on the slow shaft of said second speed reducer, a sixth sprocket mounted on the slow shaft of said third speed reducer, and a seventh sprocket mounted on the fast shaft of said third speed reducer, said sixth sprocket being mounted on an axis offset from its center and the remaining of said sprockets being mounted on central axes, K. a right-drive comprising an eighth sprocket mounted below said platform, L. individual chains connecting said second and fourth sprockets, said fifth and sixth sprockets and said seventh and eighth sprockets, and M. means driven by said right-drive turning said platform. 